RV campers usually don’t enjoy the best reputation. Their vehicles are big and clunky and they produce a lot of pollution. Plus, their generators often run all night, ruining the peace and quiet of nature. When you look at the facts, it’s easy to conclude that RV camping is nowhere near being eco-friendly, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Here are a few ways you can boost your eco-friendliness so we can all enjoy nature for a long time.
Stay local
You might want to get away from your stressful life, but you don’t have to run far away. Check out some more local campsites that can be reached in a single day of chill driving. The less you drive, the lower your CO2 emission will be and the less pollution you’ll create. If you’re not sure where to go, search online for camping and caravanning club campsites, pick one or two locations closest to you and you’ll instantly become a more eco-friendly RVer without any changes to your vehicle or your habits.
Invest in insulation
By boosting your RV insulation, you can keep warm in cold temperatures and cool in hot weather without having to blast your heater or AC. Think double-glazed windows, insulated walls and even an RV skirt that prevents airflow under the RV (that last one is practical only for vehicles that spend most of their time parked in one place).
Keep warm and cool naturally
Even if you have heating in your RV, try to refrain from using it and opt for thermal blankets and layered clothing — this will keep your fuel consumption lower and prevent extra emission. The same goes for your AC. Park in the shade, open windows for ventilation and keep cool with cold drinks. If you want to be more comfortable when camping, just time your trips better when the temperatures are more moderate.
Pick energy-efficient appliances and gadgets
If you’re just buying a new RV, make sure to check the appliances for Energy-star labels. This means your appliances are energy-efficient and better for the environment. You can also green up your existing RV by investing in gadgets that allow you to be more eco-friendly. If your old refrigerator is not efficient, check out the new electric cooler by Furrion which uses an electric battery to keep your food and drinks cool. The best thing? Its battery can easily turn into a Lithium-Ion solar generator, so you can be completely green and independent from the grid.
Conserve water
RV camping usually requires a lot of water — you need to do the dishes, use the toilet, shower and perform many other actions. In order to reduce your water consumption, take shorter showers, conserve water when washing dishes and invest in a solar water heater. Most RV toilets use very little water, but you still check whether your rig uses more than it should.
Go solar
Solar panels have never been so light, portable, efficient and cost-effective, so make sure to hook up some to your RV and tap into the green potential of the sun. Your panels can be used to keep your appliances running, your gadgets powered and allow you to camp even where there’s no available power source—perfect for maintaining your millennial’s lifestyle on the go.
Avoid disposable items
It’s very practical to buy a bunch of paper plates and plastic utensils and just dump them into the trash after your meal, but these single-use items are very harmful to the environment. Buy real dishes and cutlery, and concentrate on using reusable bottles you can fill up whenever you’re thirsty.
Switch to green fuel
Most RVs run on diesel, so if you have a model that does, consider switching to a mix of diesel and bio-diesel. Biodiesel uses a mixture of regular diesel and plant oils and you can usually find it at regular pumps (or even blend your own). Before you take this step, make sure your vehicle supports this type of fuel, otherwise, you might ruin your engine.
Recycle
The lack of recycling stations at campgrounds is not an excuse to create more waste. Since you probably lack square footage in your RV, you might want to hurry and throw everything out as soon as you can, but try to hang on to your recyclable trash until you find a recycling station on your way. Empty cans and containers that can be recycled can be kept in a designated place like in a box under the sink.
You can fix the reputation of RVers all around the world by following these simple eco-friendly camping tips. Your trips will still be enjoyable, but you’ll leave a lot less pollution behind.
Written by Chloe Taylor
About the Author
Chloe is an interior design consultant from Adelaide and a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Beside all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a beautiful book from time to time. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter.
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